Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Deferred
Publish timetable for new NHS App and comprehensive communication plan for its benefits.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department and NHS England set out in response to this report: (a) A timetable for introducing the new, “native” NHS App, and (b) Their plan for communicating the benefits and features offered by the new App to users of the current “portal” version. (c) Further detail of the proposed communications campaign on changes to the App announced in May 2023. (Paragraph 28) Systems and inoperability
Government Response Summary
The government's response addresses initiatives to recruit and professionalise the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) workforce through graduate schemes, apprenticeships, and defining job roles, but does not provide the requested timetable or communication plans for the NHS App.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
1. Graduates The DDaT Graduate scheme was launched in April 2022 and is helping to address the skills shortage by developing new pipelines of talent. Since launch, the scheme has onboarded 60 new DDaT Graduates, with a further 180 in the pipeline. This also includes a focus to help resource the Electronic Patient Record (‘EPR’) Trusts scheduled under the Frontline Digitisation Programme as well as new resources to support BAU activities. We are also partnering with private initiatives to support the objective of growing the DDaT workforce. For example, until recently the Fast Futures programme16 which is aimed at helping school leavers and also works with University Technical Colleges across the country as feeders into the NHS including the DDaT workforce. 16 https://www.fastfutures.com/ 2. Apprenticeships In last academic year 21/22 circa 600 DDaT apprentices were onboarded across provider organisations. 432 DDaT apprentices have been onboarded in 22/23 (Aug -22 to Jan-23). 3. Professionalisation We are progressing initiatives to professionalise the specialist digital, data, technology and informatics workforce. We are currently creating a consistent method of defining and banding job roles to stabilise pay through: • Defining core competency frameworks for each job role across all job families (starting with the job families: IT Operations; Technical; Data; User Centred Design) • Defining career pathways that allow for vertical and horizontal career progression • Defining the professional standards and accreditations to drive recruitment and career advancement. The programme will also proceed with an open procurement to identify the DDaT Profession partner to assist the programme team in leading on and delivering on the items listed above. Combined, this package of work is intended to ensure that the right conditions and foundations are in place to foster: (1) The Right Roles (2) The Right Talent (3) The Right Profession Recognition